Reversible coat



Dec. 17, 5 E NAQSHER 2,225,126

I REVERSIBLE COAT Filed Dec. 12, 19:59 2 Sheets-She et 1 I INVENTOR je/azf ATTORNEY s. E. NASHER REVERSIBLE COAT Filed Dec. 12, 1939 2 shemtsns 2 INVENTOR ja/a 5/14 jig:

ORNEY Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE COAT .Sarah E. Nasher, Stoughton, Mass.

Application December 12, 1939, Serial No. 308,773

8 Claims,

My invention relates to outer wearing apparel, and more particularly to that type of garment which can be worn with either side out, and which is known to the trade as a reversible coat.

A garment of the aforesaid type is conventionally made with the cloth for each side so cut, mated, and sewed together that an appearance of a finished coat is presented whichever side be worn outward. But, in order to combine the attributes and characteristics of two garments in the single piece of wearing apparel, the cloth or material chosen for one side differs in some respect from the clothor material chosen for the other side.

Experience has indicated that the reversible coat having a. dressy materialwith an attractive surface pattern or design'as one side and a waterrepellent material as the other side, is most in demand. Thus, a worsted cloth of light weight may be employed for the side to be exposed most of the time, while a gabardine cloth or the like may be employed for the reverse side. This combination imparts a practical dual utility to the single garment since it has some resemblance to a topcoat when worn with the dressy side out, and has the advantages of a raincoat when worn with the other reverse side out. My invention is directed to a reversible coat having a step collar or notched lapel, that is, a coat in which the lapel is formed by a part ofthe main front portions of the garment.

According to the reversible garments common in the prior art, the front portions of the garment are each made by mating two appropriatelycut pieces of cloth, of different appearance as aforedescribed, and known asv foreparts, these foreparts being sewed together at their outer free edges. To form the lapel, the upper free corner of a front portion, made of the two different foreparts, is rolled or folded over, as is well known to theart. This rolling or folding over for the lapel exposes a corner of the inside forepart on a background of the exposed forepart. Since the garment is worn niost of the time with the dressy side exposed which almost invariably is of a much better grade of material than the other side, the

' clash between the exposed lapel and the exposed the front portion of a reversible coat that the garment will always show, at least on one side,

and preferably on the side most commonly worn outward, a lapel of a cloth and design harmo'nizing with that of the generally observable part of fiected or bent toward the vertical free edge of the coat, although the inside of the coat is of some other design, a result I achieve with a negligible increase in the manufacturing costs of the garment.

In accordance with my invention the twomating foreparts are not out to identical shapes, but the inner forepart (and by inner I mean the side most commonly worn inward) is cut away at the lapel corner to take a lapel insert section, The lapel insert is preferably of the same material 10 as the outer forepart, and, therefore, the two will rliatch.

More specifically stated, it. is the main object of my invention to form, in a simple and economical manner, a lapel portion for a reversible coat by sewing a dressy lapel insert to an ap propriately-cut forepart section of the waterproof side of the garment to yield a corner in that forepart which may be turned down after the garment is completed to yield a dressy lapel matching the dressy outside of the coat at all times, thereby to enhance its appearance.

In making a coat in accordance with my invention, the inner and outer foreparts have their outer free edges sewed together, and each is complete in itself so that when sewed together one corner of the resulting front portion of the garment may be turned or rolled over for the lapel. However, the inner forepart is sectionalized, and by that I mean it is composed of different pieces or sections-more specifically, of amajor section, which is made of the material chosen for the inner side of the' garment, and a second lapel insert section, which is sewed to this major section. The insert is preferably of a material cor-, responding to that of the outer forepart and fits a suitably cut-away comer in the inner forepart. Additionally, I have found that the lapel roll or fold can be better defined and consistently positioned by having the seam of the two sections 40 of the inner forepart lie on a line that is somewhat behind the roll or fold of the lapel for its 1 greater length, but having its bottom part dethe front portion.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a reversible coat, front portions, each comprising mating foreparts, each front portion including a forepart comprising a corner lapel insert sewed to the remaining part or main section -of the forepart in such a manner that, when the corner of a front portion is turned over, the seam will be concealed, and further the bottom of the lapel roll will be positioned,

My copending application Serial No. 233,975,

filed October 8, 1938, and entitled Improvement in reversible coat, disclosed and claimed certain of the features heretofore described. Thein stant application discloses such features plus additional improvements. I have found that the garment had added advantages when the lapel corner insert section was sewed to its corresponding major forepart section in a particular manner. In the garment, the edge of the corner insert is made longer than the mating edge of the I major section to which it is sewed. In making the seam, a bridle tape is employed, and the corner insert is crimped, and the major section may be stretched, at the bend of the seam aforesaid, and a garment results in which the upper parts of the inner foreparts always lie smooth and even, with the garment always snugly hugging the body of the wearer.

Since a reversible coat is generally worn with its better side out, it is a purpose of my invention to devise a, reversible coat which will simulate a topcoat at all times when worn with its better side out. This I achieve, as disclosed in my earlier application, by providing only the inner, reverse, sidewith an insert, the outer forepart being, preferably, of a single piece of cloth which the insert matches. By this expedient the simulation to a topcoat is complete, whether the lapel be turned down, or turned up, as might be done, for example, on chilly or windy days.

The above features and objects of my invention, as well as other features and objectives, will be apparent from the following description thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings made on varying scales, and in which:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of a reversible garment made in accordance with my invention, with the dressy side out, and having one lapel in normal wearing position and the other turned up partially to show my novel construction;

Fig. 2 is a part view in perspective of the upper part of the coat with the lapels turned up;

Fig. 3 is a view of the outer or dressy forepart of a coat before sewing;

Fig. 4 is a view of the major section of the inner or gabardine forepart of a coat before sewf Fig. 5 complements Fig. 4 and is a view of the lapel insert that is to be attached to the section of Fig. 4 to complete the inner forepart;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the lapel insert sewed to the major section of the inner forepart, with parts broken away to show the construction after the seam has been steam-pressed;

Fig. 7 is a view in section onthe line VII-VII of Fig. 1; and

Fig.8 is a part view in perspective of the upper corner of a front portion, without the collar, to better show the construction.

For the purpose of describing my invention I have chosen a reversible coat that has actually been made and sold in quantity, and comprises a mans garment having a out similar to a. balmacaan with raglan sleeves, although my invention is equally applicable to other styles and cuts of coats having lapels formed by turning an upper corner of the fronts of thecoat. v

The coat, represented in its entirety by the reference character 2, is made for the greater part in accordance with known practice, and

consists of the proper outer and inner pieces and elements suitably assembled, sewed, and finished so that the coat may be worn with either side out, but shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the dressy side 2 has its outer side made of a dressy material of a predermined pattern design, and an inner side of a water-repellent material of a, different hue, or pattern, or both. In an actual embodiment, the outer side 4 is of a lightweight worsted with a herringbone pattern, while the inner side 6 is of a twilled, tightly-woven gabardine, the coat sides being suitably created from pieces or sections cut on lines determined by the styleof coat desired. These pieces include an outer and. an inner forepart for the left front portion 1 of the garment, and similar parts for the right front portion 8 of the garment.

For the customary and conventional reversible coat not embodying my invention, all of the foreparts for the front sections would be cut to the shape such as shown in Fig. 3 for the style of coat depicted. If the material used is finished on both sides, one of the cut foreparts may be turned over so that the foreparts for the right and left front portions are obtained. If the material be finished on one side only, enantiomorphic pattern sheets, or the same sheet turned over, may be employed, all as is well known to the art.

In accordance with the preferred formof my invention, the outer foreparts 9 follow the customary shape, but the other inner foreparts are each sectionalized, that is, each is formed of two sections sewed together to form the forepart, these sections comprising amajor or main section I ll of the customary shape except for a small corner which is cut out along an edge l2, as

shown more particularly in Fig. 4, and a lapel insert section l6 generally corresponding to the cutout corner of the main section. The corner section I6 is somewhat triangular in shape, as shown in Fig; 5, and has an edge 18 corresponding in shape to the edge l2, but somewhat longer. The piece of cloth with its corner cut out forms the main section In, and the triangular piece of cloth forms the corner lapel insert section Hi. Theremaining edges of the insert correspond to the similarly-disposed edges of the outer forepart 9, it being understood, however, that suitable allowances are made in the cutting to allow for all necessary seams and the like.

The edge I2 comprises a length from A to B, to which the corresponding edgeof the lapel insert is sewed, and a length B to 0 available for a corresponding length of a collar segment. In the length AB, the portion DB is substantially straight, and bends into a curve from D to A which approximates a circular curve of about 45 extent on a two-inch radius for the particular coat. The lapel insert edge It! is similar to the edge I 2, and comprises a curved portion E to F corresponding to AD, but with a straight portion GF about one-half to three-fourths of an' inch longer than DB which, in the garment shown, is slightly more than 10 inches.

I In the preferred manner of making the inner the insert. The bridle is a piece of cloth tape 75 about one-fourth inch in width and starting approximately at point G,- but terminating somewhat short of point F, about an inch, more or less. After the bridle has been sewed on, the insert it is suitably secured to the main section I ll by any appropriate seam 20, such as the plain seam shown, to thereby complete the inner forepart 22, of. a 'shape to substantially mate the outer forepart 9.

In sewing the insert 16 to the section III, the former can be placed on the latter with the bridle outside and the point G over point B. The stitching is then made preferably through the three pieces of cloth, namely, the bridle, the insert, and the main section III, with the stitching somewhat inward of the edges (about one-half inch or so) to provide overlaps 2l'of the plain seam which may be turned over, the bridle being secured to the overlap. 2| of the lapel insert. When the stitching reaches the end of the bridle, approximately before the beginning of the curved. parts, the insert is somewhat squeezed together or crimped, and the section l0 may be stretched, so that the point E will fall about on sewing, is longer than the adjoining edge of the main section. The seam is then steam-pressed with the overlaps folded over, as more particularly shown in Fig. 6.

The lapel insert ment is of the same cloth as that used for the outer forepart 9, although I contemplate other lapel material which harmonizes with the outer forepart. such as, for example, black velvet with darker hued outer material for the coat.

By the steps just described, I obtain an inner forepart 22-whose outer peripheral edges correspond to that of the outer forepart 9, with suitable allowances, of course, for subsequent'sewlng.

Once the complete inner forepart 22 is obtained, the manufacture of the coat proceeds in accordance with usual practice, the upper corner free edges 24 of the foreparts being suitably flnished to form' one side of a step or notch 26 between the lapel and collar, and the remainder of the upper edges, in conjunction with the upper edges of the back parts, serving as a means to secure a collar 28, which is made in any usual manner for reversible coats. The exposed ends of thecollar form the other side of the notches 26 yielding a garment with notched lapels. The

notch 26 may be of any desired angle, and can be small to provide what is known as a peaked lapel. By notched lapel, I, therefore, intend to include any construction with a discontinuity between the collar and lapel portion of the forepart. I

It should be noted that the seam 20 is disposed just below the roll or fold of the lapel and in such position that both the front of the lapel and the roll are comprised of the insert IS. The section II! and the insert l6 are deliberately cut for this effect, which is obtained by having the upper portions 313, and FG of the edges 12 and I8, re-

spectively, substantially parallel to the line of the expected roll except for the bottom ends AD, and

I6 of the preferred embodi- E5, respectively, which curve sharply to the vertical free edges III and 32 of the front portions.

The seam 20 will, of course, correspond.

I prefer to so proportion the section i0 and the 4 insert it that in the completed garment the seam 20 will be about three-quarters of an inch inward or laterally (toward the sleeve) of the fold, except at the bottom of the lapel where the curves cause the seam to meet the'lapel substantially at the end of the fold, the curvature of the seam being indicated at 38. The curve II is purposely created to avoid too acute an angle at the tree edges, and, more importantly, to avoid exposure of the seam when the 'coat is worn with the gabardine side out since the relative position of the roll will be approximately the same whichever side of the garment be worn outward. If the seam 20 extended beyond the narrow bottom of the lapel, it would be visible when the garment is worn inside out. With the shape of the seam as described, its bottom terminus corresponds approximately with the bottom end of the roll and the appearance of the reversed coat is not marred by the seam, which would now lie directly under the lapel. Additionally, the bottom part of the seam seems to position the bottom point of the roll of the lapel.

To stiffen the front portions of each of the front sides of the coat, a piece of crinoline or the like may be utilized. This stiffener 40 is placed, as is customary, between two mated foreparts, and extends substantially the length of the front, and for a few inches from the edge. The stiffener may be secured in any suitable manner, as, for example,- including its edge, folded over "a narrow tape 42, in the finished edge seam 44, which may be a closed plain seam type with dual stitching 46.

It may be observed, therefore, that I have propearance the regular garment of the same type, and, more specifically, duplicates the appearance of a topcoat in all respects, although the garment can also be reversed to provide, in efiect, a raincoat. When worn as a topcoat the lapel matches the material 4, whether worn normally, "or turned up, as shown in Fig. 2, during cool, and windy weather. When worn with the dressy side out, the garment, therefore; has all the essential attributesand characteristics of a topcoat, whereas in reversiblecoats'of the prior art the lapel either in turned down position or in. turned up position differed in appearance from the rest of the garment. This complete resemblance of my garment to'a topcoat, with lapels turned up or down, is achieved by sectlonalizing the inner forepart only, and, moreover, I have found that a' reversible coat constructed in accordance with the foregoing will snugly fit the body of the wearer,

' vided a reversible garment that duplicates in apand without the lapels standing out from the that the appended claims be given their broadest interpretation, and limited only by the applicable prior art in the field.

I claim as my invention:

1. A reversible garment of the type described, comprising a front portion having an upper corner adapted to be rolled or folded over to form r a lapel for said garment, said front portion having a vertical free edge, and comprising a sectionalized-forepart in turncomprising a main section, a corner lapel section of a visibly different cloth, and a seam securing adjoining edges of said sections, the said edge of said main section being similar to, but somewhat shorter, before sewing, than the said edge of said corner lapel section, said corner lapel section edge being crimped, said seam being somewhat inward of the roll or fold of said lapel, the said seam'being generally concave upward and having its bottom end substantially determining the bottom termination of said roll or fold.

2. A reversible garment of the type described, comprising a front portion having an upper corner adapted to be rolled or folded over to form a lapel for said garment, said front portion having a vertical free edge, and comprising a sectionalized forepart in turn comprising a main section, a corner lapel section of a visibly different cloth, and a seam securing adjoining edges of said sections, the said edge of said main section being similar to, but a diiferent length, before sewing, than the said edge of said corner lapel section, said corner lapel section edge being crimped, said seam being somewhat inward of the roll or fold of said lapel, the said seam having its bottom end substantially terminating at the bottom termination of said roll or fold.

3. As an article of,manufacture, a reversible outer garment to be worn with either side out and having the cloth of one side generally different in some visible respect from that of the other, said garment having complete inner and outer foreparts substantially conforming in shape, said foreparts being joined with their outer free edges substantially matched to provide a free upper corner adapted to constitute a free lapel when rolled or folded over either way, said inner forepart being sectionalized to comprise a main section and a corner lapel section joined along a line somewhat inward of the roll or fold of. said lapel formed when the said outer forepart is worn outward, except that the bottom portion of said line is curved toward the vertically-matched edges of said foreparts at said lapel and terminates substantially at the bottom point of the last said roll or fold, said corner lapel section being of a cloth having an appearance different from said main section and harmonizing with said outer forepart, said outer forepart being cloth of the same appearance throughout, said main section and said corner lapel section being joined by a sewed seam comprising said line, said sections having similarly-shaped edges at said line with the said edge of the said corner lapel section being somewhat longer, before sewing, than the said edge of said main section, the said corner lapel section being crimped along the said curved bottom portion of said line.

4. As an article of manufacture, a reversible outer garment to be worn with either side out and having the cloth ofone side generally different in some visible respect from that of the other, said garment having complete inner and outer foreparts substantially conforming in shape, said foreparts being joined with their-outer free edges substantially matched to provide a free upper corner adapted to constitute a free lapel when rolled or 'folded over either way, said inner forepart being sectionalized to comprise a main section and a corner lapel section joined along a line somewhat inward of the roll or fold of said lapel formed when the said outer forepart is worn outward, with the bottom portion of said line deflected toward the vertically-matched edges of said foreparts at said lapel and substanof the same appearance throughout, said main section and said corner lapel section being joined by a sewed seam comprising said line, said sections having similarly-shaped edges at said line with the said edge of the said corner lapel section being somewhat longer, before sewing, than the said edge of said main section, the said corner lapel section being crimped along the said deflected bottom portion of said line, the said outer forepart and the said corner lapel section being cloths of the harmonizing appearance, and said outer forepart being substantially a single piece of cloth. a

5. As an article of manufacture, a reversible outer garment to be worn with either side out and having the cloth of one side generallydifferent in some visible respect from that of the other, said garment having complete inner and outer foreparts substantially conforming in shape, said foreparts being joined with their outer free edges substantially matched to provide a free upper corner adapted to constitute a free lapel when rolled or foldedover either way, said inner fore part being sectionalized to comprise, a main section and a corner lapel section joined along a line somewhat inward of the roll or fold of said lapel formed when the said outer forepart is worn outward, except that the bottom portion of said line is curved toward the vertically-matched edges of said foreparts at said lapel and terminates substantially at the bottom point of the last said roll or fold, said corner lapel section being of a cloth having an appearance different from said main section and harmonizing with said outer forepart, said outer forepart being cloth of the same appearance throughout, said main section and said corner lapel section being joined by a sewed seam comprising said line, said sections having similarly-shaped edges at said line with the said edge of the said corner lapel section being somewhat longer, before sewing, than the said edge of said main section, the said corner lapel section being crimped along the said curved bottom portion of said line and a bridle tape"- ent in some visible respect from that of the other,

said garment having complete inner and outer foreparts substantially conforming in shape, said foreparts being joined with their outer free edges substantially matched to provide a freeupper corner adapted to constitute a. free lapel when rolled or folded over, either way, said inner forepart being sectlonalized to comprise a main section and a corner lapel section joined along a -line somewhat inward of the roll or fold of said lapel formed when the said outer forepart is worn outward, with the bottom portion of said line deflected toward the vertically-matched edges of said foreparts at said lapel and substantially determining the bottom point of the last said roll or fold, said corner lapel section being of a cloth having an appearance different from said main section, said outer forepart being cloth of. the same appearance throughout, said main section and said corner lapel section being joined by a sewed seam comprising said line, said sections having similarly-shaped edges at said line with the said edge of the said corner lapel section being somewhat longer, before sewing, than the said edge of said main section, the said corner lapel section being crimped along the said deflected bottom portion of said line, the said outer forepart and the said corner lapel section being cloths of the same appearance, said outer forepart being substantially a single piece of cloth, and a bridle tape sewed to both said sections at said seam only above said curved bottom portion of said line.

7. A reversible coat of the character described having a collar and front portions cooperating to constitute a notch for a lapel formed by a free upper corner of said front portions being rolled or folded over, each of said front portions also having free vertical edges and comprising a sectionalized inner forepart in turn comprising a main section of one cloth and a corner lapel section of a visibly different cloth secured to said main section, said corner section forming one side of said lapel and joined to said main section along a line somewhat inward of the roll or fold of said lapel, the bottom portion of said line being deflected toward the vertical freeedge of its corresponding front portion to terminate substantially at the bottom point of said roll or fold, said main section and said corner lapel section being joined by a sewed seam comprising said line, said sections having similarly-shaped edges at said line with the said edge of the said corner lapel section being somewhat longer, before sewing, than the said edge of said main section, the said comer -lapel section being crimped along the said deflected bottom portion of said line, the said outer forepart and the said corner lapel section being cloths of the same appearance, and said outer forepart being substantially a single piece of cloth.

8. A reversible coat of the character described having a collar and front portions cooperating to constitute notches for lapels formed by free upper cornersof said front portions being rolled or folded over, each of said front portions also having a free vertical edge and comprising a sectionalized inner forepart in turn comprising a main section of one cloth and a corner lapel section of a visibly diflerent cloth secured to 'said main section, said comer section forming one side of said lapel and joined to said main section along a line somewhat inward of the roll or fold of said lapel with the bottom portion of said line deflected toward the vertical free edge of its corresponding front portion to terminate substantially at the bottom point of said roll or fold, said main section and said corner lapel section being Joined by a sewed seam comprising said line, and a bridle tape sewed to both said sections at said seam only'above said deflected bottom portion of said line.

SARAH E, NASI-IER. 

